Figures of Speech

Q1: The sun blazed in the sky, turning the pavement into a sizzling griddle. Sweat poured from my forehead like a waterfall, and each step felt like walking through molten lava. ‘It’s just a bit warm,’ my friend said, casually sipping his ice-cold lemonade. Meanwhile, the trees stood motionless, their drooping leaves whispering silent complaints against the merciless heat. Which sentence contains hyperbole?

• a) "The trees stood motionless, their drooping leaves whispering silent complaints."
  

• b) "Sweat poured from my forehead like a waterfall, and each step felt like walking through molten lava."
  

• c) "‘It’s just a bit warm,’ my friend said, casually sipping his ice-cold lemonade."
  

• d) "The sun blazed in the sky, turning the pavement into a sizzling griddle."
  

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.5A

Q2: The sun blazed in the sky, turning the pavement into a sizzling griddle. Sweat poured from my forehead like a waterfall, and each step felt like walking through molten lava. ‘It’s just a bit warm,’ my friend said, casually sipping his ice-cold lemonade. Meanwhile, the trees stood motionless, their drooping leaves whispering silent complaints against the merciless heat.

Which line contains an example of understatement?

• a) "The sun blazed in the sky, turning the pavement into a sizzling griddle."
  

• b) "The trees stood motionless, their drooping leaves whispering silent complaints."
  

• c) "‘It’s just a bit warm,’ my friend said, casually sipping his ice-cold lemonade."
  

• d) "Sweat poured from my forehead like a waterfall."
  

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

Q3: The sun blazed in the sky, turning the pavement into a sizzling griddle. Sweat poured from my forehead like a waterfall, and each step felt like walking through molten lava. ‘It’s just a bit warm,’ my friend said, casually sipping his ice-cold lemonade. Meanwhile, the trees stood motionless, their drooping leaves whispering silent complaints against the merciless heat.

What is the connotation of the phrase “sizzling griddle” in the passage?

• a) It suggests an pleasant, but bearable warmth.
  

• b) It conveys a sense of extreme, oppressive heat.
  

• c) It implies the pavement is actually cooking food.
  

• d) It describes a safe and comfortable environment.
  

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.5B

CCSS.L.9-10.5B

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

Q4: The sun blazed in the sky, turning the pavement into a sizzling griddle. Sweat poured from my forehead like a waterfall, and each step felt like walking through molten lava. ‘It’s just a bit warm,’ my friend said, casually sipping his ice-cold lemonade. Meanwhile, the trees stood motionless, their drooping leaves whispering silent complaints against the merciless heat.

How does the word choice impact this passage?

• a) The words “sizzling,” “molten,” and “merciless” create a sense of extreme heat and discomfort.
  

• b) The passage avoids descriptive words, which creates a neutral impact.

• c) The word choice makes the scene feel cold and distant.
  

• d) The passage uses soft and calming words to create a peaceful mood.
  

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5

CCSS.L.5.5

CCSS.L.6.5

CCSS.L.7.5

CCSS.L.8.5

Q5: The sun blazed in the sky, turning the pavement into a sizzling griddle. Sweat poured from my forehead like a waterfall, and each step felt like walking through molten lava. ‘It’s just a bit warm,’ my friend said, casually sipping his ice-cold lemonade. Meanwhile, the trees stood motionless, their drooping leaves whispering silent complaints against the merciless heat.

Which sentence contains imagery that appeals to multiple senses?

• a) "The trees stood motionless, their drooping leaves whispering silent complaints."
  

• b) "The sun blazed in the sky, turning the pavement into a sizzling griddle."
  

• c) "‘It’s just a bit warm,’ my friend said, casually sipping his ice-cold lemonade."
  

• d) "Sweat poured from my forehead like a waterfall, and each step felt like walking through molten lava."
  

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5

CCSS.L.5.5

CCSS.L.6.5

CCSS.L.7.5

CCSS.L.8.5

Q6: The sun blazed in the sky, turning the pavement into a sizzling griddle. Sweat poured from my forehead like a waterfall, and each step felt like walking through molten lava. ‘It’s just a bit warm,’ my friend said, casually sipping his ice-cold lemonade. Meanwhile, the trees stood motionless, their drooping leaves whispering silent complaints against the merciless heat.

How does the phrase “whispering silent complaints” demonstrate nuance?

• a) It literally means the trees are speaking.
  

• b) It suggests the trees are subtly showing distress, without explicitly stating it.
  

• c) It exaggerates the suffering of the trees in the heat.
  

• d) It downplays the effect of the heat entirely.
  

Tags

CCSS.L.3.5A

CCSS.RL.3.4